West Ham United reject Nikola Vlasic transfer bid amid £16million update
West Ham have rejected an offer of £7million to sell Nikola Vlasic to Torino and want more than double that price, The Times reports.
The Czech attacker has been on loan at the Serie A side having failed to make a real impact at the London Stadium following his £25million Hammers move two years ago.
The Italian club want to make his move permanent after a combined 11 goals and assists in the league this year, but West Ham want £16million to let him go.
He is one of two expected departures to Italy this summer that will likely net them a loss, with Gianluca Scamacca also expected to return to his home country just a year after his £35.5million move from Sassuolo as he doesn’t fit David Moyes’ system.
The Times report says: “Moyes could make a loss on him and a previous signing Nikola Vlasic. Torino want to sign the Croatia attacking midfielder on a permanent deal after a season on loan.”
Flops
Vlasic’s failed West Ham move has gone somewhat under the radar in comparison to Scamacca’s struggles, but neither make great reading for the London Stadium recruitment department or Moyes.
£60million splashed out on two players whose return in claret and blue has been negligible can only go down as a pair of bad misses.
While Vlasic was peripheral the season before last the Hammers were at least having a strong season domestically and made it all the way to the Europa League semi finals.
Unfortunately for Scamacca he couldn’t hide this year as a major negative spotlight was on the club while it headed for a relegation battle for much of the season.
Although the Italian did contribute to the Conference League success earlier in the campaign, that major silver lining somewhat passed him by after the knee injury ended his season.
If West Ham can get the £16million they want for Vlasic then he surely goes after a decent year on loan in Turin, but what fee they can get for their big-money striker is going to be a bigger question if they are to avoid a massive loss after just one season.
With huge money coming in from the Declan Rice deal it shouldn’t be a catastrophe for the club either way, but it is still something that needs to be avoided if at all possible.